The 2016 Olympic Trials debuts of Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky highlighted Day Two preliminaries, which also featured the start of the men’s 100 backstroke.

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We’ll see what happens tonight and tomorrow. But it certainly does not look good for Franklin’s attempt to defend 100 back title in Rio. Her start is still awful.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

Bootsma also missed 100back semis.

Eugene, had read that someone had injured their hand but wasn’t sure of identity.

ASF, this issue less costly in the 200back (arguably her strongest) but she’s going to have to pull out something to make the team in the 100back. Not impossible as the lead qualifiers aren’t really swimming at the level of the world leaders but she, herself, hasn’t been “on the pace” since 2013.

M200free heats fairly even; Rooney’s kamikaze effort nearly put himself out of contention. Will be curious to see how quick tonight’s semis will be

Markus B.
June 27, 2016

In reference to the swimvortex policy: Isn’t there an asterisk missing at the name of Jessica Hardy?

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

CW,
You are right.
From the prelims, MIssy’s competitors for that 100 back berth are not yet on the level of Seebohm etc., and so Missy may have still a chance getting to defend her title, but it looks increasingly harder. We’ll see.
But if she get to swim it in Rio, I think Kazan’s final will repeat. It was not pretty.

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

If we can read anything from Rooney’s swim, the outlook for him in the 100 free is not going to be good.
He went out in 51.35 (it’s fast, but not superfast) and yet he died terribly. This shows that he hasn’t got that fast easy speed yet.
He has been touted as the next great 200 freestyler. Maybe not his time yet.

Eugene Chc
June 27, 2016

aswimfan, 100 back final after 200 free semi.
even sub 1.00 will be very difficult.

Coach Schmitz instead quality training, used old quantity.

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

Eugene,
I don’t know which information is the most accurate one about Missy’s training, I think each has some truth in it:
Some people blamed Missy’s plateau on Teri Mckeever, and now you are blaming it on Todd Scmitz.

Maybe all of you are correct, but I propose an undeniable fact:
Physical changes from 15-16 yo MIssy to 19-20 yo Missy.
Those changes need more physical conditioning and fine-tuning, and tweaks in technique to accommodate different body shape.

Eugene Chc
June 27, 2016

aswimfan, at articles after Missy return to him, Schmitz said – he will change all.
In Santa Clara 2015 Missy said, she never did that hard training.
It think training was 30-40% more than in 2012.

Craig Lord
June 27, 2016

Give John a chance Markus B. He’s filing live. We apply neither waiver nor do we waver on that policy, as you know 🙂

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

waver

Craig Lord
June 27, 2016

Quite so, aswimfan. Silly to simply blame the coach, any coach, unless there is very clear evidence of that coach having failed and fouled. To critics apparently very keen to judge, I say this: at least, Let the very successful athlete get to the final and show us what she is capable of in 2016 – and then when making your judgment make sure you’re armed with all the facts.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

Re Franklin situation; I feel this is one of those cases where the truth lies “somewhere in between”.

With a college coach, their primary job is for their team to win meets and there isn’t generally as much opportunity for the individual “tailoring” that a club coach can supervise.

Dry land training is a vital part and this is one area that Seebohm, in particular, has been emphasising in recent years … arguably to her advantage. But just like pool work; its a matter of finding what works best for your own specific physiology …. and working with the right people to optimise any said benefits.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

W100BRS: Would not surprise to see 5-6 sub 1.07s either tonight or in the final. King & Meili clearly look the favourites but it will be interesting to observe how well they back up thru the rounds.

W400free: As expected. Schmitt’s time interesting from a 200free perspective. Will be interesting to see the extent of any “top-side” Smith may have on this prelims time.

Felix Sanchez
June 27, 2016

I think CWs analysis is greatly preferable to all those who think blaming McKeever is necessary to argue that Franklin going there was a bad decision. If she was the best coach in the world it wouldn’t change the fact that one of the biggest names in the sport had the resources at her fingertips to develop in a way not dictated by the needs of an amateur swim team.

Felix Sanchez
June 27, 2016

Obviously there’ll be a lot of talk about Phelps trying to be first swimmer to win four individual events in a row, but he and Lochte also have the chance to win the 4 x 200 relay four times in a row. If Phelps does miss it, Lochte will have the chance to get one up on him.

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

felix,
Franklin may have been one of the biggest name sin the sport, but she was bound by NCAA rules. Her resources were CAL resources. NCAA has some strict rules on the amount of training, types of allowed financial and non-financial assistance etc etc

aswimfan
June 27, 2016

felix,
That’s an interesting point. If Phelps doesn’t swim either in prelims or final of 4×200, and Lochte does, then when USA wins it, Lochte will become the first swimmer to win four consecutive gold in an event.

Clearly this will be quick both tonight and tomorrow night; I suspect winner (and potentially 2nd placer) may be inside Larkin’s time from AUS Trials but the WR so many Americans are trumpeting ……. these things happen “when they happen”.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

Re the NCAA issue; like anything there is no perfect template for knowing which program will be right for you.

There are just too many variables to the equation; some of them out of the pool. Sometimes it will be a matter of personal chemistry whether it be with coach or with team-mates. Sometimes the regime is just “not right for you”.

Outside factors like academic demands and “culture shock” (even with Americans from other parts of the country) can have major impacts.

Swimmers are not created out of any one mould but are individuals with their own individual physiologies and psyches; even the most outstanding coach is not going to “gell” with everyone who enters their pool. The most successful ones are those who best manage these realities whilst keeping a harmonious balance inside their squad.

Jay Ched
June 27, 2016

Interesting meet so far, with favorites or past champions seemingly unable to show much life. Although only prelims have come in the W100 back, Missy seems at risk of not even making the team in the event, much less repeating as champion. Also, the article states: “Coughlin won the Olympic gold medal in 2004 and 2008, but did not contest the event in 2012 as she shifted her focus to the sprint freestyles.” She actually finished 3rd in the 100 back at 2012 trials. Nice to see a solid swim out of Schmidt, but not thinking she can finish 2nd to grab the non-Ledecky spot.

Craig Lord
June 27, 2016

Jay, John’s focus in that sentence was on the three O Games, so he was right to say gold 2004,2008 and not contesting in 2012. Thanks for reminding us of what happened at trials.

Felix Sanchez
June 27, 2016

Aswimfan, exactamundo she was bound by NCAA rules and Cal resources. That’s why she should not have tied herself down to either.

Yozhik
June 27, 2016

@Jay Ched. You are right, the most interesting thing at W400 is to check the form of Allison Schmitt. There were many talks that her in-season times are matching her 2012 pre-trials period. Well, 4:06 this morning is not exactly her 4:02 in 2012. Having that she most likely has not targeted individual spot at 400 this season she probably won’t push herself too hard in final. If I don’t see 4:04 tonight then W200 won’t be of much excitement and drama. The battle for the sixth place could be much more interesting the the battle for the second place.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

Yozhik, Schmitt’s time in 400free final will be indicative of where she actually IS. TBH, there are only a fairly delusional fringe who are of the belief that she can/will get back to her 2012 levels.

However, a 4.05flat/4.04 MAY be indicative of a 1.54high/1.55low and who’s to say that may not snag the 2nd US berth. As yet, we don’t have any real firm indicators on Franklin in this event. Smith is a potential “gatecrasher” but so far in her career her best showings have been over the longer distances.

Yozhik
June 27, 2016

You know, CW I may be get wrong about absence of the drama at W200. If these two Champions don’t go under 1:56 they can be pleasantly surprised by Leah Smith.

commonwombat
June 27, 2016

Precisely !! Everyone gets hung up on times that are swum … or not swum either at National Trials or at the major events. Very rarely are meets “uniform” in character.

How often do we see much touted races be not nearly as fast as touted due to leading contenders “match racing” each other. Sometimes this leads to an upset sometimes not. Does this necessarily make them bad or inferior races …… not in my book but others may differ.

Ger
June 28, 2016

Comfortable for Worrell 56.48; Vollmer 57+……important thing for Worrell was swimming her fastest time in the final.

Ger
June 28, 2016

Leah Smith was incredible going 4:00+; Ledecky was kamikaze. If she does that again, she could lose it.

aswimfan
June 28, 2016

If Ledecky does that again, she won’t lose it. No one else in the world can do 3:58

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